Blood Oaths

by Stein Willard

  The room suddenly exploded in a cacophony of noise. There were loud voices, furniture being over turned and then the scariest, gunfire. She pulled her children closer and curled her body around them. Hearing Oscar whimper softly, she pressed her lips to his ear and whispered gentle assurance to him. Over Oscar’s head, she could see bodies dropping to the carpet. She closed her eyes tightly, as she caught the sightless gaze of Felicia Eisenborn.

  ***

  Iramis sidestepped the bullet and dove for the gunman. The server-cum-gunman had been followed into the room by six other men with automatic weapons and justly, he was the first to fall. Her claws dripped with blood as she sought out her next target. A bullet pierced her side, the unexpected pain making her growl in anger.

  “Iramis!”

  At the sound of Sandra’s voice, she exploded into action. Her whole body vibrated with anger when she saw the man lifting his gun, aiming at her wife. At that moment she was more beast than human. The man’s finger twitched, but before he could follow through, she was on top of him. His body exploded in a shower of blood as she tore through him. She watched dispassionately as his body hit the floor, split in half.

  “Milady…”

  Iramis jerked back to the present, to find both Sandra and Ermine looking at her with wide eyes. Behind them, she caught the horror-filled eyes of her children. Shame and fear filled her being as she saw Oscar crawling over to Sandra to hide behind her. Knowing that she must look like a spectre from a horror film with her body cover in blood, Iramis quickly turned away from her family.

  “Milady, it’s over. We need to move your family, before they send backup.”

  Iramis blinked; her eyelashes heavy with her latest victim’s blood. “Take care of them,” she said curtly before she walked away. This was not over yet.

  Scanning the room, she found the Council members cowering in the corner of the room behind a protective wall of her warriors. With bloodlust drumming through her, she walked past them to look down at the moaning man at her feet.

  “You will not die quickly unless you tell me exactly what I need to know,” she rasped, not bothering to hide her fangs.

  Tonight, all this would end.

  ***

  Sandra smiled encouragingly at Oscar, trying to coax her baby out from where he lay sobbing under his bed. They had returned to the compound an hour ago. Oscar had run to his room and immediately sought refuge under the bed.

  “It’s okay, darling, you’re safe now,” she murmured softly as she reached under the bed. The boy quickly crawled out of reach and Sandra felt her eyes filling with tears. Her heart ached for her son, but it did so too, for Iramis. Iramis had not returned with them and it hurt Sandra to realise, that for now, it was a good thing. Oscar had cowered in her arms as they made the trip back to the compound.

  “No,” came the teary voice. “Is Mama here?”

  Sandra’s heart broke at hearing that. If ever there was a child of theirs who adored Iramis, it was Oscar. To hear the boy’s voice grow thin with fear as he asked the question, was almost too much for her to stop the tears threatening to fall.

  “No, my baby. Mama won’t be back for a while.” As she said it, she could not believe that she wished it were so. It would be extremely damaging for Iramis to come back tonight when her whole family was in a state of shock and turmoil. Brandon and Jenny were also quiet on the way to the compound, but at least they had expressed concern for Iramis before they went to bed. A small hand reached out from the bed. With a sigh of relief, Sandra stretched to run her fingers over the pale hand. “You’re safe, baby. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  The boy’s face slid out from under the bed. “Even Mama?”

  Sandra’s eyes welled up with tears. Not once in the twenty years with Iramis, had she ever feared her wife. She never thought such an opportunity would ever arise. How mistaken she had been. She locked eyes with the shivering boy and prayed for Iramis to forgive her. “Yes, Oscar, not even Mama.”

  The boy crawled out from under the bed and into her lap. As she held his shivering body, her face buried in his hair, Sandra was crying inside.

  She was so overwrought by her son’s pain and her own, that she missed the quiet shadow standing in the dark corridor outside Oscar’s room.

  ***

  Iramis closed her eyes as the words echoed loudly in her ears, seeping into her blood and settling in her heart. She turned away from the door, as if the act would lessen the pain of desertion somehow, only to bump into a soft obstacle. Her eyes shot open as the tears spilled over. She allowed herself to be led down the dark hallway into a room and like a robot followed the soft directions until she lay stretched out on the bed. The pain lessened a little as a small warm body curled up against hers. They lay like that in long silence until the quiet began to hurt a little too.

  “We love you, mama. Don’t ever forget that.”

  Iramis sighed deeply as she allowed the words to settle in the stillness. A soft kiss against her cheek caused more tears to fall which were wiped away almost immediately. She angled her head until she met concerned hazel eyes. How strange life turned out to be. Fifteen years ago, she had cradled a crying hazel eyed baby against her chest, the infant craving for warmth and love. Tonight, she was on the receiving end of that same mercy and the love she had offered was returned.

  “I love you too,” she croaked and pressed her lips against a smooth forehead. “And I’m so sorry that you had to see all that.”

  Jenny hoisted herself on her elbow and looked down at Iramis. “Why should you be sorry for protecting your family? We know what you are.”

  Iramis looked away. “Oscar?”

  “He’ll get over it.”

  Sighing deeply, Iramis pulled her daughter closer to her heart. If only things were as easy as Jenny made them out to be. She knew better. There were only two ways she could fix this and only one she knew she could live with.

  ***

  Sandra carefully lifted Oscar onto his bed and stretched to loosen the muscles in her back. Oscar was sleeping fitfully and she knew she could not leave him alone tonight. At the same time, she was aching for Iramis. Just as her children needed her tonight, so did she. After millennia of cruel existence, Sandra had awakened what little human emotions were left in the vampire. In doing so, she had made it her responsibility to help Iramis plot her way through this miasma of human emotions. Brushing a soft kiss across Oscar’s brow, she slowly, feeling like an old woman, made her way down the hallway to check up on her other two children. Brandon’s nightlight was still on and she went to switch it off.

  “How’s Oscar?”

  Startled, she looked at her son, to find his eyes wide open, studying her sombrely.

  “He’s asleep now.” She combed her fingers through his hair. “You should try to sleep too.”

  He turned onto his back; his chin jutted out stubbornly. “I’m waiting for mother.”

  With a deep, heart wrenching sigh, Sandra took a seat on the bed and closed her eyes tightly. In the absence of Iramis, Brandon had always been her refuge, her confidant. They spoke openly and she was not going to change that tonight.

  “After tonight…I…I don’t…Oscar is scared of her.” She swallowed hard. “I don’t know what to do.”

  Brandon sat up, his eyes bored into hers. “As long as you don’t do what I think you’re planning to do.”

  Sandra did not hide her shock as she looked at her son. “What do you mean?”

  Brandon’s eyes were hard as they studied her face. “Don’t push Mother away. Not even because of Oscar.”

  Stunned by hearing her own thoughts spoken out loud, Sandra dropped her face in her hands and for the first time that night, allowed the tears to fall. She felt a tentative touch on her shoulder and sat up slowly. “What else can I do? I’m in the middle of all this and I…” she wiped at the tears. “I have to make a choice between being a mother and wife.”

  Brandon scooted closer and pulled her into his arms.
Sandra went willingly, nestling in the comforting grip of her son. “There is no choice to make, mom. Oscar needs to find a way to understand what happened and he needs to find a way to deal with it, no matter how scary all this is.”

  Sandra pulled out of Brandon’s arms. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? He’s just a boy.”

  “And Mother is a freaking vampire,” Brandon snapped. “We know that. The whole world knows that.” He shook his head. “We’d all be dead if she hadn’t done what she did. Next time ask Oscar if he’d rather be dead.”

  “Brandon!”

  Sandra was shocked by her eldest’s outburst. Somehow, she had thought he would understand her dilemma and maybe try to accept that things would have to change. But she did not expect this from him.

  “I’m not losing my Mother over this.” His eyes shot full of tears. “You should be ashamed for even considering this, Mom. She…Mother…” His voice broke. “…She’s being measured according to human standards, which is not fair. She’s NOT human, yet she tries to live and love like one.” Brandon turned on his side, his back to Sandra. “I’m NOT losing my Mother.”

  Sandra sat in stunned silence, staring at the tense shoulders of her son. She only took a shuddering breath after she had rolled Brandon’s words through her mind again. This was the second time in a very short period that another of her children had, not in so many words, called her a hypocrite. A mere twenty-four hours ago, she had stood before her wife, in a smelly alley, and apologised for doing just that. Warm tears streaked down her cheeks as she stared through a veil of tears at Brandon. She slowly came to her feet and quietly left the room. Outside in the hallway, she leaned against the wall and covering her mouth, stifling the moan of pain rising from deep inside her being.

  ***

  Iramis’ eyes snapped open. She carefully sat up, making sure not to disturb the sleeping girl lying next to her. She had heard Brandon and Sandra’s voices in the room next door. As was her habit to afford her family privacy, she had blocked out the conversation. It was only when a sharp stab of pain had sliced through her, had she known that it was time to step in.

  Sandra needed her.

  Her heart jerked at the sight of her wife; bent over at the waist, her hands covering her mouth as she tried to stifle her tears. She quickly walked over and startled by her sudden appearance; a soft squeak left Sandra’s lips. Iramis swung her distraught wife in her arms and with long purposeful strides, carried her to their bedroom. She gently laid Sandra on the bed curling her body around the woman and allowed Sandra to cry. Feeling helpless as she listened to the heart-breaking sobs of her wife, Iramis cursed herself for not having listened in on the conversation. What did Brandon say that could have caused Sandra to be in this state?

  She pressed closer to Sandra, the act causing more of Sandra’s pain to slash through her being. She knew Sandra would hate her for this, but all this crying surely was not good for her. Throwing her arms around her wife, Iramis turned Sandra until she could see her eyes. The red-rimmed eyes widened in comprehension.

  “Don’t!” Sandra hissed.

  Iramis pursed her lips, before she nodded and pressed a kiss to Sandra’s cheek. “It’s been a difficult day for all of you.”

  “Yes, but don’t put me to sleep.” She turned in Iramis’ arms. “Tomorrow could be much worse, if I don’t deal with all this tonight.”

  Iramis sighed as she lay back, staring at the ceiling. “I can’t help but think I’m the cause of all this. My being what I am finally caught up with me.” She turned her head to look at Sandra. “Maybe I should leave. Give them time to get use to all this before…”

  Sandra sat up quickly. “You will do no such thing.”

  “But…” She was giving Sandra a way out. Why was the woman not taking it? She would not have considered this, if it was not something Sandra would have appreciated. In her long existence she had learned that when faced with a tough decision, humans always chose to dispense with the issue once and for all.

  “Your children will not forgive me if I did.”

  Iramis sighed. “Then what should I do? I can’t stick around when my youngest is scared of me, Sandra.”

  A soft hand cradled Iramis’ cheek. “You’re a vampire and Oscar knows that. He simply forgot…for a moment.”

  A sad smile pulled at Iramis’ lips. “I’ve evolved, my love.” Saying it, she felt the beast in her shake itself, its fangs scratching her insides as it stretched like a lazy cat. “I’m more than an animal now. I’m a wife and a mother.” Sandra’s face blanched as she reached out to her, her eyes dark with regret. “No, you didn’t offend me in any way. Just like any mother, human or beast, my children are my priorities now.” The beast reared its head, as if in acknowledgement, and Iramis knew instinctively that her eyes were glowing red. “I feel more now. I love more and I hurt so much more. All that thanks to you.” She braced herself for the impact when Sandra threw herself in her arms. Her heart broke as the racking sobs of her wife filled the quiet room.

  Carefully, she rolled over until Sandra was cradled entirely in her arms. Her mind sorted through millennia of memories until it found the one she had buried deep, so deep that even she, at that time, had thought it would not surface easily again.

  The room was dark, cigarette smoke and air fighting for what little space was left unoccupied. Loud music assaulted her ears as her eyes wandered over the writhing mass on the dance floor. Her gaze finally settled on her companion and she had to fight hard to keep the chuckle hidden that was trying its utmost to break free. Adomini looked so uncomfortable sitting next to her. She leaned over to touch him and he almost jumped out of his skin.

  “It’s called a nightclub and the whole idea is to look relaxed,” she said loudly over the music. Red eyes met hers and she cocked her head. “Now, we don’t want to scare the patrons, do we?”

  Adomini shrugged under her touch and sat up even straighter. “Why would they do this to themselves?” He held up the glass in his hand. “This tastes like poison.” He pointed at the drug before him. “That white powder is so vile and yet they keep on snorting it.”

  “That’s being human, my friend. Their lives flick past in the blink of an eye and they want to cram as many experiences as they can in as short a time as they can.”

  “But instead they’re shortening it.” Adomini took a sip of his gin and tonic and grimaced. “If this horse piss won’t kill them, then it’s the powder or that sexually transmitted malady.”

  Iramis once again made a quick sweep of the dance floor. Whichever demon had won the lotto for supervising the 1980’s surely had the cruellest streaks of all. Humans were dying at an alarming rate. The stench was sometimes too much to bear. It was not just the smell from the houses she passed which contained dying humans. So many were decaying inside and they were not even aware. Her eyes touched on a man only few feet away surrounded by fawning fans. Media outlets touted him as the next best thing to hit the fashion world. If only they had her supernatural sense of smell. He had but a few measly months left before he joined the countless number on the obituary page.

  “He’s making a move,” Adomini’s voice cut in on her observations. She threw one last look at the fashion designer and was surprised to meet his eye. He knew. She gave him a sad smile and watched as he returned an even sadder one. Iramis made a note to herself to visit him in the hospital, but first she needed to find the Ridgewell clan. She gave the man a short nod before following Adomini out of the crammed nightclub. Outside, they waited in a dark alley for the young vampire to finish feeding.

  “I can’t see myself living amongst these humans. They’re not even fit for feeding upon,” Adomini muttered as he waved the cigarette smoke away. He was staring murderously at a group of youngsters smoking nearby. “It’s good that they’re killing themselves.”

  Iramis sniffed the air delicately. The scent made her sigh. At least three of the five young men were afflicted. Her mind conjured up the sad look in the man
’s eyes, the one she had met in the club. Humans were weak and easily destroyed, but they were also very resilient. Few vampires were brave enough to face their demise head-on. Unlike Adomini, she could see herself living amongst them, with them and maybe for them. She could even see herself loving them…unconditionally.

  Iramis stiffened suddenly. She had been so lost in thought that she failed to hear the soft footsteps coming down the hallway to their room. Slowly, extra slowly, so as not to startle the newcomer, she rose from the bed and made her way to the bathroom. It was only when the door swished open that she recognized the identity of the newcomer. She listened as the soft tread came into the room and stopped at the bed.

  Her sudden movement must have jostled Sandra out of her lethargic state. She heard the rustling of the bedding as her wife sat up.

  “Baby, come here.”

  For a moment all she heard was the breathing in the other room. Her heart began to thud wildly as she heard the soft footsteps coming towards the bathroom. She knew she had to teleport, but something held her back. And then she heard it.

  “Mother?” The voice was soft and broken.

  Her eyes shot full of tears, blurring her sight of the door. Oscar was standing on the other side of the door.

  “Mother?” The soft call caused an avalanche of tears to cascade down her face. Even if she wanted to see him, she could not make him witness the blood tears, not after what he had seen today.

  “I know you’re in there, Mother.”

  Soft sniffling sounds reached her ears and Iramis knew she could not for the life of her not respond.

  “Yes.”

  A soft exhale met her ears. She froze when the door was pushed open and a small hand reached in. Iramis fell to her knees and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on the shaking hand. The hand opened and cradled her cheek. More tears came as a small thumb began to wipe at them.